Lawyered-up Mayor Misses an Opportunity

"ToniTeam 2009"

Edison Mayor Antonia "Toni" Ricigliano missed a great opportunity Monday night. As the Township Council's Committee of the Whole hearing got under way, Council president Robert Diehl made a statement on behalf of the Council; asserting their authority to convene the Committee, as well as their intent to conduct the proceedings as a means of "checks and balances" on the Executive branch of the municipal government, without prejudice or any attempt to denigrate or ridicule Mrs. Ricigliano or her Administration. Mr. Diehl also cautioned the standing-room-only crowd that no applause, cheers or impromptu comments would be permitted.

A good maneuver on the Council’s part.

By stating their intentions in advance, the Council established it’s authority as the fair and impartial “People’s” investigative body.

The question is: why didn’t Mayor Ricigliano exercise her right, and make an opening statement of her own? Didn’t she have something to say, from her heart, to the people of Edison? Didn’t Toni Ricigliano want to say that she “Fully welcomes these hearings, as a means of clarifying several misconceptions about my actions on behalf of the taxpayers…etc, etc..” and “I fully intend to dissuade any notion that, at no time did anyone in my Administration do anything other than what is best for the taxpayers and residents of Edison.”

These are the things an honest, forthright elected official would have said. These are the things a leader would have said. Unfortunately, leadership is sorely lacking in the Mayor’s office. Mayor Ricigliano could have shown herself to be a leader. She could have differentiated herself from the Edison politicians and mayors of the past (and some recent ones).

Instead, Toni Ricigliano chose to be combative, evasive and, at times, purposely misleading..for example:

On the subject of the infamous “Gag Order which is not a Gag Order”:

Mayor Ricigliano: “Previous mayors issued the same executive order”

Mr. Diehl: “Which mayor?”

Mayor Ricigliano: “It doesn’t matter.”

Mr. Diehl: “Which employees received letters of reprimand?”

Mayor Ricigliano: “I don’t know”

Council Vice President Robert Karabinchak: “Who (in your Office) wrote the executive Order.?”

Mayor Ricigliano: “I honestly don’t know.”

Councilmember Sudhanshu Prasad: “How has your executive Order worked, now that it’s been in effect for a couple of months?. How many requests have been made to the BA?”

Mayor Ricigliano: “ I don’t know”

On the subject of hiring Assistant BA Laird:

Councilmember Melissa Perilstein: “Did you seek legal advice on this hiring (as the position is not included in the Municipal Code)?”

Mayor Ricigliano: “ You think that’s illegal?”

Mr. Diehl: “Were there no Edison residents who may have been qualified for the position?”

Mayor Ricigliano: “I didn’t look.”

On the subject of laying off DPW employees:

Mayor Ricigliano: “The layoffs were part of the plan.”

Councilmember Tom Lankey: “Can we get a copy of that plan?”

Mayor Ricigliano: “What plan?”

Councilmember Tom Lankey: “The plan which included layoffs.”

Mayor Ricigliano: “What plan are your talking about?”

It could be that Toni Ricigliano really doesn’t know the answers to these questions.

It could be that her attorneys have instructed her to not answer these questions.

Or…

It could be that Toni Ricigliano is not the Open and Honest mayor, which she had us believe she would be. It could be that Toni Ricigliano is just another in a long line of Edison politicians, who operate within the “Good Ol’ Boy (and Girl) Network”..where deals are made in secret, and jobs are created for “some of our friends”..so that a son or daughter could get a job as a cop, or a firefighter…or a judge.

How pathetic. How disappointing.

Our only hope is that the Council fulfills its obligation to the people of Edison, and all of the questions are answered. And, if necessary, the appropriate heads do, indeed, roll.